The Clean
Profile

The Clean were the first South Island-based post-punk group to gain a national following, on the back of a brace of instantly memorable songs including ‘Tally Ho’, ‘Anything Could Happen’, ‘Beatnik’ and ‘Getting Older’.

Through 1981 and 1982 they placed a string of vibrant indie EPs and singles in the New Zealand Top 20. The keyboard-driven classic ‘Beatnik’ from their second EP Great Sounds Great... rose as high as No.4, aided by heavy touring and a witty video set in a bohemian coffee bar.

Hamish and David Kilgour, The Clean’s constants, had been playing and writing music together in Dunedin since 1978, building up a fat songbook of primitive punk, minimalist pop, infectious folk rock and adventurous psychedelic instrumentals. Their sound was built around David Kilgour’s off-centre, 1960s-influenced guitar, Hamish’s motorik drumming and melodic driving bass, first from Peter Gutteridge then Robert Scott.

After a thin scattering of South Island shows, The Clean followed The Enemy to Auckland in 1979, a stay beset by unsettled line-ups. Back in Dunedin in late 1980, the Kilgours picked up Robert Scott on bass, completing the group’s classic line-up. Having gained a good national following in 1981, they recorded ‘Tally Ho’, their first Top 20 hit for Flying Nun Records and toured constantly until their breakup in late 1982.

Even with the group in abeyance (possibly permanently), releases stuffed with infectious songs kept coming. The Odditties compilation tape of unreleased material appeared in July 1983, followed by a live EP Live Dead Clean in 1986, and a greatest hits collection called Compilation and second Odditties tape in 1988.

The group reformed for live shows in London the same year, prompting an album deal with distinguished British indie Rough Trade Records.

It was the first of many successful reunion tours through New Zealand, Australia, Europe, Great Britain and North America.

The Clean toured New Zealand and the United States in 1989, and Great Britain and Europe the following year, to promote their new album Vehicle. It was the first of many successful reunion tours through New Zealand, Australia, Europe, Great Britain and North America. Studio and live albums followed in the 1990s and 2000s.

Fresh interest awakened in the United States in 2003 on the back of the double CD compilation Anthology for prominent indie Merge Records, building on an international reputation enhanced with respect given by prominent 1990s indie groups including Pavement and Yo La Tengo. The Clean continue to release records (Mister Pop in 2009) on American and New Zealand labels and they toured the USA as recently as 2012 and 2014.

In 2017 Boodle Boodle Boodle won the Taite Music Prize's Independent Music NZ Classic Record award.

In September 2017 The Clean were inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall Of Fame.

The Clean in June 1990: Hamish Kilgour, David Kilgour and Robert Scott

EmbeddableItem
EmbeddableItem! type = Person

Drawing To A Whole

ImageableImage

The third release from The Clean, and their second 12-inch EP from June 1982. Great Sounds Great, Good Sounds Good, So-So Sounds So-So, Bad Sounds Bad, Rotten Sounds Rotten!! was not only an extended play release but its title was made to match.

ImageableImage

From the Boodle Boodle Boodle booklet - came with first copies, 1981

ImageableImage

The Clean's Bangers and Mash Tour, 2007

ImageableImage

The Clean, 1981: Hamish Kilgour, Robert Scott and David Kilgour. This was one of the very first Flying Nun publicity shots.

Photo credit:
Photo by Carol Tippet

EmbeddableItem
EmbeddableItem! type = Person

nterview with Hamish Kilgour, David Kilgour and Bob Scott of The Clean, after the release of their album Modern Rock. Directed by Ross Cunningham.

ImageableImage

From the Boodle Boodle Boodle booklet - came with first copies, 1981

ImageableImage

The Clean, a Flying Nun promo shot from the late 1980s

ImageableImage

From the Boodle Boodle Boodle booklet - came with first copies, 1981

ImageableImage

ImageableImage

A Rough Trade publicity shot from June 1990. L to r: David Kilgour, Robert Scott and Hamish Kilgour.

EmbeddableItem
EmbeddableItem! type = Person

ImageableImage

ImageableImage

From the Boodle Boodle Boodle booklet - came with first copies, 1981

ImageableImage

From the Boodle Boodle Boodle booklet - came with first copies, 1981

ImageableImage

The Clean in Dunedin, circa Sepetmber 1981: Robert Scott, David and Hamish Kilgour

Photo credit:
Photo by Craig McNab

ImageableImage

From the Boodle Boodle Boodle booklet - came with first copies, 1981

EmbeddableItem
EmbeddableItem! type = Person

Oddity (live at the Rumba Bar, Auckland, 15 May 1982)

ImageableImage

Letter to RipItUp 1981

Photo credit:
Murray Cammick Collection

ImageableImage

EmbeddableItem
EmbeddableItem! type = Person

ImageableImage

From the Boodle Boodle Boodle booklet - came with first copies, 1981

EmbeddableItem
EmbeddableItem! type = Person

Interview with David Kilgour, 7 July 1994. Directed by Ross Cunningham.

ImageableImage

EmbeddableItem
EmbeddableItem! type = Person

EmbeddableItem
EmbeddableItem! type = Person

ImageableImage

From the Boodle Boodle Boodle booklet - came with first copies, 1981

ImageableImage

A very early Clean at Logan Park High School, Dunedin 1979 - Peter Gutteridge, Hamish Kilgour, Lindsay Hooke and David Kilgour